Improvement in machines for splitting wood



Ihvrrnn STATES PATENT men.

THOMAS A. DUGDALE, OF WEST RIGHMOND, INDIANA.

IMPROVEMENT IN MACHINES FOR SPLITTING'WOOD.

Specification forn'ling part of Letters Patent No. 113,576, dated July 19, 1864.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS A. DUGDALE, of the town of West Richmond, county of IVayne, and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Machine for Splitting Wood in the Forest, intended to be operated by steam or horse power, or by hand, and is intended to accompany what is commonly known as a dragsaw.77

The nature of my invention consists in constructing a machine for splitting fire-wood after it has been sawed by the drag-saw, and by the same power used to saw the wood, thereby saving great labor.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my newly-invented machine, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification.

Figure l is a perspective view of my machine. Fig. 2 represents a cross-piece, which will hereinafter be more fully described. Fig. 3 represents a pair of clamps and attachments. Fig. 4 represents a hammer. Fig. 5 represents a block of wood. Fig. 6 represents one of the wedges on its supporting-rod.

A A A Ain Fig. 1 represent a strongframework.

B is a iiy-wheel.

C is a lever.

D D D is a hammer, also shown in Fig. 4, represented by an end view lying on one side.

E E are slides in which the hammer plays up and down.

F is a roller in hammer, under which the lever C works to throw it (the hammer) up preparatory to falling. Said roller is more plainly shown at F in Fig. 4.

G is a block of hard wood inserted in the bottom of the hammerD D D for the purpose of striking on the wedges H and H O to prevent their battering.

H and H O are the wedges for splitting the wood, one of which is also represented in Fig. 6 at H. v

I I are rods on which the wedge His secured, which may be seen at Fig. 6.

I O in Fig. lis another rod, on which is attached the wedge II O.

K is a joint connecting the rods I I, also shown in Fig. 6 at K.

K also represents a joint in the rod I O in Fig. 1.

L represents a log in position for being split, held firmly by the clamps M.

M are clamps to hold the log. (More fully represented at Fig. 3.)

N is a cross-piece of timber extending from one side of the frame to the other, one end of which is represented by the dotted lines. At N in Fig. 1 said piece of timber has a strong spring on its top side to prevent the hammer falling lower than the topvofthe stick to be split. Said cross-piece may be seen at Fig. 2 with a gum-elastic spring represented thereon by AG.

O O are connecting-rods which connect the clamps and their` levers with the uprights R R, as shown in Fig. 3.

P I? are the jaws and levers of the clamps, also shown at Fig. 3.

Q is a vibrating bar to which the nprights B R are attached, as shown in Fig. 3.

R R are not seen in Fig. 1, but may be seen representing upright pieces in Fig. 3, which are not visible in Fig. 1.

S in Fig. l is a lever attached to the shaft Q, as also shown in Fig. 3 at S.

T in Fig. 1 is avibrating bar to which the jointed rods I I are attached, as also more fully shown at T in Fig. 6.

U is a shaft on which a fly-wheel, B, is attached, and also the crank A.

V is a stud-pin-orlwrist in the ily-wheel.

W is a vibrating shaft on which lever C is attached.

X is a sliding bar to hold up the hammer.

Y is a lever to operate bar X.

Z is a sliding bar to hold up the rods I I, to which a wedge, H, is attached.

Z is a lever to work the sliding bar Z.

Al is a spiral spring designed to relieve the bar or rod I O of the concussion during the blow of the hammer 0n the wedge H O. I will here remark that the rods I I, being much longer than the rod I O, have suiiicient spring of and within themselves to relieve them when the wedge H is struck by the hammer.

AZ is a piece of timber through which the rod I O passes, said piece of timber being secured to the frame-work in the most convenient position.

A3 A3 are pieces secured to the frame to sup port the sliding bar X and the lever Y.

A4 is a support secured to the side of the frame on which the lever Z works.

A5 A5 are pieces .under which the bar Z slides and the shaft T vibrates.

AG in Fig. 2 represents a piece of gum'- elastic or other strong spring.

A7 Arl are boxes in which the shaft W vibrates.

A8 A8 are boxes in which the shaft U re volves. i

A9 is a crank ontlic ily-wheel shaft.

A10 is a bed-piece on which the stick L rests while being split.

l is a heavy plank or other suitable mate rial, so constructed as to leave a space under the front end of the machine sutlieient to admit the clamps M.

2 is a plank upon which the clamps M are constructed, as also seen in Fig. 3, the saine being secured to the plank l.

3X 3X in Fig. 3 are journals in which the bar Q vibrates.

3, 4, 5, 6, and 7, as shown in Fig.3, arejoints by which the pieces Q Q, l? I), and R R are joined together by means of strong bolts or rivets.

8 in Fig. 4 is a hole cast or bored in the lower end of the hammer D D D, into which is inserted the round piece of wood, as seen in Fig. 5.

The frame A A A A should be made of solid timber, such as goed white oak or ash. The sides should be about six feet high. The front end pieces, upon which the slides E E are ixed, should be about twelve feet high, leaving room below for the` block L (or log) and wedges H and H 0. The bed ot' the frame, when it lies on the ground, should be about sixteen feet long and about two feet wide. The lever C should be made of good, sound, strong timber. The pieces forming the slides E E should be secured to the frame by means of strong bolts. The hammer may be made of cast-iron, and should have a piece of very liard wood inserted in the hole 8, and should weigh from one hundred and fifty to three hundred pounds, according to the number of horse-power designed to be used in operating the machine. The spring A6 may be made similar to a car spring, of gum-elastic. Vhen that cannot be obtained any kind of strong spring may be used. The rod I O, on which the wedge H O is secured, should be made of a bar of round or flat iron, equal in strength to a. bar of iron one and a half incl es diameter, with the jointK at a proper distance from the end and passed through the piece of timber A2 far enough to receive the spiral spring A. The wedges should be made of iron or steel, and should be twelve inches long and from four to six inches thick at the top. The rods I I may be made of equal strength with the rod I O and be joined at K, as seen in Fig. 6. The clamps M should be made of dat bars of iron one inch thick and three inches wide, and should be a-ttened at the joint 3, and from that to the joints 4 and 7. 'Ihe conneeting-bars O O-may be made of iron half an inch thick and one and a half inch wide,

and should be twisted so that the ends will standat right angles with each other. The pieces R R may be inserted in a bar of round iron one and three-quarter inch diameter, and have two journals, and should also receive the leverS. Thus prepared the joints 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 may be secured by strong bolts or rivets at the joint- 3. A bolt should pass through the plank 2. The bed-piece A10 may be prepared in the woods, and should be aheavy log with a dat place cut out of one side sufficiently large to admit of any-sized stick (desired to be split) to stand on it. Said bed-piece should extend beyond the machine at each side and may be. fastened in its place by means of stakes driven through clevises, if necessary. I think proper to state that the hammer may be attached to the lever by means of links or pieces of liat iron, attached to the hammer and lever so as to form two or more joints, in order to allow the lever to describe its circle and raise the hammer without binding, all of which I hold to be equivalent devices. But I prefer the roller F. t

Operation: The machine being ready for operation, it will be seen that by turning the crank A9 the shaft U'and ily-wheel B revolve. The wrist V, coming down on the back end of the lever C, raises the hammer D D D, which is held up by passing the sliding bar X under the lever C by means of the lever Y, the log` L then being' put iu position and clamped irmly by means of the clamps M, which is done by pushing back the lever S and securing it or holding it by orwith the hand. The wedge His then brought on a line with the machine and placed on the top of the stick or log L. The slide Xis then removedvtrom under the lever G. The wrist V having left the lever C, the hammer falls on the wedge H, driving it into the log L. Having split the stick or log lengthwise of the machine, the wedge H is then removed and turned aside by taking hold ofthe rod I I and turning it at thejoint K. The rod I O and wedge H O` are then brought into position to split the stick at right angles with the former wedge. The same operation ofthe hammer produces a like effect upon the wedge H f), and the stick is split at right angles orin four quarters. "I will here state that if it shculd be desired to place the shaft U and wheel B nearer the ground a lever may be hung below the lever C upon which the wrist a may operate and motion may be communicated from said lever to the lever C by means of a rod connecting them together.

The machine may be fastened to the ground .by means of clevises and stakes, which may be attached to cross-pieces secured to the bottom of the machine.` I think it bestl in a heavy machine to use two or more of the rods I O and wedges H O, placing them in such position that the wedges will split at right angles with each other. In a light machine the-rod I I and wedge H may be used. y

' I do'not claim any of the parts taken separately and independent of their attachments rods I I or;I O, and clamp M, When constructed and connections, as they of themselves are and operating substantially as set forth. all Well-known devices.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is- Witnesses:

A machine for splitting tire-wood, composed of the hammer D, lever C, Wedges H or H O,

THOMAS A. DUGDALE.

JOHN FINLEY, J AMES K. DUGDALE. 

